1. Field
Apparatuses and methods consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to apparatuses and methods for ultrasound medical imaging, and more particularly, to providing an accurate touch-based operation on a user interface.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mobile devices, such as a smart phone or a tablet personal computer (PC), which has recently emerged, provide a touch-based user interface, and thus may be operated without a separate input device such as a mouse or a track ball. Due to convenience, the touch-based user interface is widely used in medical ultrasound imaging equipment.
An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus transmits ultrasound signals generated by transducers of a probe to an object and receives ultrasound echo signals reflected from the object, thereby obtaining images regarding the interior of the object (e.g., tomography of soft tissues or blood flow). In particular, an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus may be used for medical purposes including observation of the interior of an object, detection of foreign substances, and diagnosis of damage to the object. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus may display information regarding an object in real time. Furthermore, unlike an X-ray apparatus, the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus does not involve any radioactive exposure, and thus is safe to use. Therefore, the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus is widely used together with different types of imaging diagnostic apparatuses such as computed tomography (CT) scanners, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatuses, and nuclear medicine diagnostic apparatuses.
When using the ultrasound imaging apparatus, a method that allows a user (e.g., a medical practitioner) needs to designate a measurement position of an object.
When a touch-based user interface is used, there is no need for a separate input device such as a mouse, and accordingly, no mouse cursor is displayed on a screen. The touch-based user interface may provide a button on the screen to be used by a user through a finger or a separate pen. However, a touch-based operation is less accurate than a mouse-based operation, which may be accurately controlled on a pixel-by-pixel basis. Thus, it may be difficult to input an accurate measurement point desired by the user using the touch-based user interface, when measuring a certain structure or organ using an ultrasound image.